Snake on the road! (Until we help move him along…)

I have to admit it’s nice not having to get out base layers and leg warmers as it warms up! Low of 58, high 73, very light breeze, what’s not to like? Add green hillsides, blue skies, and machines that transform an ordinary mortal into a super-being capable of climbing 3000 vertical feet in an hour, flying downhill at 40mph, and use someone else’s power to cruise along the flat sections with minimal effort… the bicycle becomes the enabler of dreams.

Eric, Karl and Mr. Snake
Eric, Karl and Mr. Snake

Enjoying today’s cycling dream was Karen, Eric, Karl (yes, Karl!) and Marcus. Nobody was in a really fast mood (although I’m sure, given the opportunity, Marcus would have been game). Nice having Karl back. He’d actually left 5 minutes ahead of us, thinking he’d be holding us back on Kings, but from what I could see any issues he might have are getting used to descending again, not climbing.

We had one significant interruption on West Old LaHonda, where we came across a fairly-long snake sunning itself in the road. Not moving, just enjoying the warm pavement. While it was easy for us to spot and avoid it, that wouldn’t have been the case for a car, or a cyclist coming down the hill at speed, so of course we stopped to shoo it off the road. Not a rattler, just a generic garter snake I think, and willing to play possum for a bit until we made it clear that our claim to the pavement was going to prevail. Took him a while to get the message.

Please remember that, with this warmer weather, snakes are going to be pretty common on our favorite secluded roads. They can’t get out of our way, and more often than not, by accident, we won’t get out of theirs. Not such a bad thing to stop and move them along. Just make sure it’s not making a buzzing noise! If it is, then let it be and maybe somebody dumb like me will come along and deal with it.






2 thoughts on “Snake on the road! (Until we help move him along…)

  1. Love this piece, Mike. Thank you! I found it by accident when looking for info on how to help move snakes across the road. I work for a nonprofit that features a phone app and website that people can use when they encounter wildlife in need. (And I too have helped a few rattlers on their way.) Animal Help Now also educates the public about issues such as vehicle strikes and road mortality. Please consider featuring Animal Help Now on your blog. You’ll be providing your readers with a valuable tool to help injured and orphaned wildlife, and you’ll be doing lots more snakes a favor! For more info, see here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fCLexUiG2mXeh1ekUOB_lotHkaYAOkSBFsStuGk7_-M/edit?usp=sharing
    Thank you!!

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